According to certain sources, Amazon is currently hiring construction managers and marketers for its Amazon Go team. This move may suggest that the cashierless supermarket concept may be ready for prime time – for real this time.
Opening delayed
In the past year, Amazon has been finetuning its Amazon Go concept, which was presented last December as the first convenience store to replace manned check-outs with an ingenious brand of “just walk out” technology. The idea is appealing in its simplicity: consumers would be able to walk in, pick up items and then pay for them through their Amazon accounts, avoiding standing in line at a cashier.
However, technological difficulties have continued to hamper the launch of Amazon’s revolutionary shopping concept, which should rely on sensing technology similar to the one used in self-driving cars. Experimenting in a 170 sqm convenience store in downtown Seattle, Amazon finally appears to make strides towards perfecting the technology. A source close to the Amazon Go team unveiled that hiring has shifted to marketers and construction managers.
Amazon Go represents Amazon’s most ambitious effort yet to optimize customer experience and further its reputation for convenience. It follows the company’s move into groceries with the 12.5 billion euro acquisition of Whole Foods Market earlier this year and is expected to bring Amazon’s e-commerce business in sync with its brick-and-mortar ambitions. The actual launch date of the Amazon Go is still unknown: Amazon refuses to comment on the information disclosed on its hiring procedures for the Amazon Go team all together.
